Dispensing device and holder for toothpaste or the like substance



Dec. 25, 1956 J. TRIPOLI 2,775,370

DISPENSING DEVICE AND HOLDER FOR TOOTHPASTE} OR THE LIKE SUBSTANCE Filed Aug. 25, 1954 IN V EN TOR.

Joy/v 7/5/1 0L! I HH United States Patgnt r DISPENSING DEVICE AND HOLDER FOR TOOTH- PASTE OR THE LIKE SUBSTANCE John Tripoli, Jackson Heights, N. Y.

Application August 23," 1954, Serial No. 451,433

3 Claims.- (Cl. 222-100) This invention relates to dispensing devices. More particularly, the invention has reference to a device of the character described that is particularly adapted to facilitate the extraction of the pasty contents of a collapsible tube. The invention, thus, has applicability to various collapsible tubes, containing shaving cream, shampoo soap in paste form, toothpasteor' other similar substance.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a generally improved device of the nature referred to. More particular objects of the inventionare to *facilitate the supporting'. of the collapsible tube in inverted position u'p'on a removable lower-end'wall 'of the dispenser casing; to so mount the tube upon said lower-end -wall as to providea-seal between the neck of the tube and the discharge conduitprovid'ed in said-lower end wally-to permitthesepa-ration of thesealing means from i the associated parts of the dispenser, to facilitate cleaning; to insure that-the seal at the neck'of the tubewill lac-maintained despite slight lateral flexure of'the tube during the squeezing of the same for forcing the contents from the tube; to provide these desirable objects at relatively low cost, thus to make the device commercially feasible; and, in at least one form of the invention, to include a highly flexible, conically shaped, internal lip that will be forced by the entering neck of the toothpaste tube against the wall of the discharge conduitof the casing, to provide for the mentioned seal.

For further comprehensionof the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appendedclaimsin which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser formed in accordance with the present invention, a portion of a casingbeing broken away, the dispenser being shown as it appears immediately prior to being attached to a wall mounted bracket.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a'sectional view online 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, the dotted lines indicating the open position of a closure element.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged perspective view of the sealing sleeve.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a modified form, a toothpaste tube neck being shown immediately prior to engagement in the discharge COlldllllf. 5

'Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the'modified sealing sleeve in the form of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view substantially similar to Fig. 6, the tube neck being fully entered into the conduit.

The reference numeral 10 has been applied generally to a dispenser for collapsible tubes such as those used to hold toothpaste and shaving cream. The dispenser 10 includes 2,775,370 Patented Dec. 25,- 1956 2' an elongated, hollowcasing 12 of sheet metal, plastic, or any other suitable'material, said-casing being permanently closed at its upper end, and being formed open at its lower end. At the lower end of the casing there is provided a removable lower end wall 14, having an upwardly extending peripheral flange adapted to frictionally engage the lower end portion of the casing 12. End wall 14 isprovided with a cork gasket 16, seated upon the inner or upper surface of the end wall 14, the gasket 16 being: peripherally engaged by the lower end edge of the casing- 12, to sealably engage the end wall 14 against the casing 12.

Formed integrally with the end wall 14, at its center, there is:an open-ended discharge conduit 18, theupper endof which extends abovethe end wall and through an opening in the gasket 16, into thecasing 12, the other end depending below the end Wall. The conduit may bemade of plastic, metal or any other suitable material. Conduit 18 is externally threaded at its lower end, to receive a complementarilythreaded cap 20, which can lac-externally in the illustrated exampleis circular-in form, but can be formed asa slot if -desired, so as to dispense the contents of the toothpaste orshaving cream tube in ribbon form.

Extending-.lthrough the marginal portion of E the apertured end wall of cap- 20- is a rivet 24,- used to provide a pivotal connection-between the cap 20 and one end-of -aflat, elongated closure element 26. Closure-element 26, at

itsotherend, has an upstanding 'lip to facilitate grasping: thereof. Normally, the closure element 26 is as shown in Fig; 4 in full lines, and in this position the closure element closes the discharge element 22. However, the closure element can be swung through to the dotted line position of Fig. 4, and in this position 'will open the aperture 22 to permit the tube contents to pass therethrough.

Receiving the upper end of the conduit 18 is a soft rubber sealingsleeve 30. The sealing sleeve 30 is, in its normal or contracted condition, of a diameter smaller than thatofthe upper end of conduit 18. However, the sealing sleeve 30 can be resiliently expanded in diameter at its lower end, so as to tightly engage about the upper end of the conduit 18 in the manner shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The upper end of the sealing sleeve 30 projects above the conduit '18, and receives the threaded neck of a toothpaste tube 32. Tube 32 is disposed within the casing 12 in inverted position, and is sealably engaged by said upper end of the sleeve 30. The sleeve 30 is of suflicient strength and thickness to hold the tube in an upright position within the casing.

Formed in one side of the casing 12, and extending substantially the full length of the casing, is a longitudinal slot 34 closed at its opposite'ends, said slot 34 at its lower end being provided with a circular enlargement 36. The enlargement 36 is to facilitate the insertion orremoval of an elongated shank 38, that extends through the slot transversely of and within the casing 12. Shank 38 has a longitudinal slot 40, openingupon one end of the shank, thus permitting the shank to receive the upper end of the inverted tube 32. A knob 42 is disposed upon the exteriorly projecting part of the shank 38, and is made rigid with the shank. Knob 42, when rotated, rotates the shank 38, thus to wind the tube upon the shank, thereby to squeezethe'contents out of the tube neck. I

Fixedly secured to the back wall of the casing 12 is a tongue of inverted L-shape, said tongue 44 having downwardly converging side edges, to permit the tongue to engage in a bracket 46. Bracket 46 is of flat formation, having a web adapted to be positioned against a vertical wall surface or the like, not shown, the web of the bracket being attached fixedly-to said wall surface by vertically spaced screws 48 or equivalent fastening elements. In-

tegrally formed upon the opposite side edges of the web 46 are inwardly turned flanges 50, defining internal guide slots at opposite sides of the bracket, into which the tongue 44 can be extended. The bracket 46 is of downwardly tapering formation, to complement the configuration of the tongue 44.

In Figs. 68 there is shown a modification. In this form, the conduit 18, cap 20, end wall 14, and gasket 16 are all formed in the same manner as in the first form of the invention. A rubber gasket 28 is interposed between the bottom end of conduit 18 and cap 20 to provide a seal therebetween. However, instead of the sealing sleeve 30 there is used a sealing and tube-supporting sleeve 52, also of soft rubber formation, the sealing sleeve 52 having its lower end portion tensioned about the upwardly projecting upper end of conduit 18. Sealing sleeve 52, at its upper end, is thickened, and fixedly attached to the thickened upper end of the sleeve 52 is a metallic, flat disc 54. Disc 54 has a center opening 56 that is threaded to receive the threaded neck of the toothpaste tube 32. On the periphery of the disc 54 are circumferentially and equidistantly spaced, downwardly extending teeth 58, the pointed lower ends of which are forced inwardly through the material of the sleeve 52, to fixedly attach the disc 54 to said tube 52.

The conduit 18 may be made integral with the end Wall 14 or welded separately thereto and if desired the cap member 20 may also be integral with the conduit 18.

Formed upon the inner surface of the sealing sleeve 52, immediately below the disc 54, is a frusto-conically shaped sealing lip 60, said sealing lip tapering in a downward direction, with the tapered or minor end of the lip being disposed within the open upper end of the conduit 18 as best shown in Fig. 6. The center opening of the lip 60 is smaller than the external diameter of the neck of the tube 32, and the lip is very thin and highly flexible. Accordingly, when the tube 32 is threaded downwardly into the disc 54 in the manner shown in Fig. 8, the end of the tube neck will be forced through the center opening of the lip 60, thus deflecting the material of the lip 60 outwardly into engagement with the inner surface of the conduit 18. This is shown in :Fig. 8, and in the commercial embodiment of the invention, the neck of the tube 32 would compress the material of the lip 60 slightly, thus to cause said lip to be interposed as a seal between the tube neck and the conduit wall.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1. A dispenser for the contents of collapsible tubes comprising a generally vertical casing, a removable lower end wall thereon, a discharge conduit mounted in said lower end wall, a sealing and tube-supporting sleeve circumposed about one end of the discharge conduit and adapted to engage about the neck of a collapsible tube, means on the casing for collapsing the tube to force out of the same the contents thereof, and valve means on the other end of said conduit, the discharge conduit being vertically disposed, with one end of the conduit projecting above the general plane of the removable lower end wall, the other end of the conduit extending below said plane, said sealing sleeve being of open-ended formation, to

receive a discharge conduit and tube neck respectively, the conduit-receiving end of the sleeve being resiliently expanded to grip the associated end of the conduit, the tube-neck-receiving end of the sealing sleeve including a metallic, internally threaded disc receiving the tube neck, the sealing sleeve having a flexible internal lip engageable by the tube neck when the tube neck is threaded into said disc, with said lip being adapted to be forced by the tube neck against the inner surface of the conduit to provide a seal between the conduit and tube neck.

2. A dispenser for the contents of collapsible tubes comprising a generally vertical casing, a removable lower end wall thereon, a discharge conduit mounted in said lower end wall, a sealing and tube-supporting sleeve cirother end of said conduit, the discharge conduit being vertically disposed, with one end of the conduit projecting above the general plane of the removable lower end wall, the other end of the conduit extending below said plane, said sealing sleeve being of open-ended formation, to receive a discharge conduit and tube neck respectively, the conduit-receiving end of the sleeve being resiliently expanded to grip the associated end of the conduit, the tubeneck-receiving end of the sealing sleeve including a metallic, internally threaded disc receiving the tube neck, the sealing sleeve having a flexible internal lip engageable by the tube neck when the tube neck is threaded into said disc, with said lip being adapted to be forced by the tube neck against the inner surface of the conduit to provide a seal between the conduit and tube neck, said lip being of frusto-conical formation and tapering in a downward direction.

3. A dispenser for the contents of collapsible tubes comprising a generally vertical casing, a removable lower end wall thereon, a discharge conduit mounted in said lower end wall, a sealing and tube-supporting sleeve circumposed about one end of the discharge conduit and adapted to engage about the neck of a collapsible tube, means on the casing for collapsing the tube to force out of the same the contents thereof, and valve means on the other end of said conduit, the discharge conduit being vertically disposed, with one end of the conduit projecting above the general plane of the removable lower end wall, the other end of the conduit extending below said plane, said sealing sleeve being of open-ended formation, to receive a discharge conduit and tube neck respectively, the conduit-receiving end of the sleeve being resiliently expanded to grip the associated end of the conduit, the tubeneck-receiving end of the sealing sleeve including a metallic, internally threaded disc receiving the tube neck, the sealing sleeve having a flexible internal lip engageable by the tube neck when the tube neck is threaded into said disc, with said lip being adapted to be forced by the tube neck against the inner surface of the conduit to provide a seal between the conduit and tube neck, said lip being of frusto-conical formation and tapering in a downward direction, the smaller end of the lip normally extending into the upper end of the conduit, the inner diameter of the smaller end of the lip being normally less than the outer diameter of the tube neck, for resilient expansion of the lip into engagement with the conduit wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

